Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-11-25

people are comfortable they like to listen to
good talk, and when you have laid the
foundation in corporal works of mercy you
may safely begin the superst:ucture of tho
spiritual. Indeed, the physical parts of their
trials are really the least, and the ply
steal reward of a good feast also COM
paratively small. Some of them dine well
every day of their lives, and yet have no
pleasure in it or anything else. They who do
not find more pleasure in the comfort, the
security, the absence of anxiety tonight
than in the mere abundance of food. Those
who are poor do not mind hard work and
scanty fare, but they do mind the uncer-
tainty of their lives, the lack of a home, the
want of appreciation of themselves, the want
of sympathy and understanding, the cold
drawing back of the prosperous, the divided
attention. the fair words and no deeds, the
barren good wishes-in short, the whole
repellent attitude of the world"
''Do you see," he said, "that old man at
the foot of the tablet He has peace enough
to battle us all in it, patience enough and joy
enough to share with us all. He does not
know how to read, but he knows the thing
that st. Paul counted a higher knowledge
than all his Hebrew learning and Greek
subtlety He had great misfortune in his
there was a child of God, fashioned by Gods
own hands and chastened in his own way, it
is he"
Here the host stepped forward, and raising
his voice said: There is one among you, my
friends, who has no word to speak of his
troubles and dsappontments, yet they have
been harder to bear than all yours save those
miseries born of guilt. did not invite him
here because he was unfortunate, but because
l needed something you could all join in
being thankful for. He has that treasure;
he has the secret which would turn all your
misery into joy Instead of showing you
only full board, have brought you the
most beautiful thing on earth to see and to
imitate-for it is in the power of each of you
to initiate him-a happy man.
HE is old, poor, silent, and as the world
would add, ignorant, sad and lonely. But
listen to what he once told me: There is one
who breathes, moves, converses constantly
with me. feel him, hear him, sometimes
l even answer him in my heart But it is a
speech without words, which we understand
without having been at school, and read
without having learned to read in books.
That is one of the pillars that uphold the
world for him-his trust in God The other
is his trust in conscience. If you can initiate
that the first will come as its natural conse-
quence To live by the rule of my friend
needs two things-grace and real resolve.
The first is never wanting You can count
on it whenever and as long as you make up
your mind to furnish the other thing, a fixed
resolve"
This and much more said our host, and
when he ceased we noticed there was one
guest less at the table. He had gone; but no
one spoke
Then, here and there one from out this
strange company came forward to thank the
host with tears of genuine gratitude in their
eyes. Some went away without a word.
Soon all were gone. The loaded table disap-
peared, but heard my host say with joyous
decision: That is what we propose to dc
next year" 1t was only then l realized that
had not assisted at veritable banquet. We
had talked ourselves into the belief that our
longings and imaginings were facts. Could
we not do something like ths' To restore
self respect is even better than to fill with
bread. But understand, that although ir
many instances the latter can be done with
out the former, in most cases the former
must rest on the basis of the latter Thanks
| giving is a good day to begin things Still
every day may become thanksgiving fol
those who seek out the hungry both in body
and in spirit, to feed and the naked to clothe
B. NJ